Scottish Executive

Animal Welfare

Jackie Baillie (Dumbarton) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in the development of a strategic approach to animal health and welfare.

Ross Finnie: Following extensive consultation earlier in the year, we have published today an Outline of an animal health and welfare strategy for Great Britain . This document builds on the wide range of views which emerged from the consultation. It sets out a clear vision for animal health and welfare in Great Britain for 10 years ahead, and outlines principles for Government, industry and other stakeholders to work to in order to improve our performance in this area.

  We will be consulting stakeholders to develop the outline into a final strategy to be published next spring. My officials will also be working with stakeholders to produce a plan to implement the strategy specifically for Scotland’s needs.

Care of Elderly People

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive how much each local authority has paid in care home fees in each year since 1995.

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive what the overall cost of care arranged by each local authority in care homes has been in each year since 1995.

Mr Tom McCabe: The information requested is not held centrally.

Care of Elderly People

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive what percentage of each local authority’s expenditure in the social work sector has been consumed by services for elderly people in each year since 1995.

Mr Tom McCabe: The information requested is given in the following table.

  Revenue Net Expenditure on Older Persons as a Percentage of Social Work Total Net Expenditure by Local Authority: Years Ending 1996 to 2002.

  


 


Year 
  



 


1996-97 
  

1997-98 
  

1998-99 
  

1999-2000 
  

2000-01 
  

2001-02 
  



Local Authority 
  

% 
  

% 
  

% 
  

% 
  

% 
  

% 
  



Aberdeen City 
  

12.9 
  

8.8 
  

5.7 
  

23.4 
  

23.2 
  

24.5 
  



Aberdeenshire 
  

11.8 
  

22.6 
  

26.4 
  

26.9 
  

28.8 
  

26.8 
  



Angus 
  

36.1 
  

33.2 
  

36.1 
  

33.4 
  

27.7 
  

29.9 
  



Argyll and Bute 
  

25.3 
  

25.5 
  

29.3 
  

25.5 
  

29.5 
  

30.3 
  



Clackmannanshire 
  

14.9 
  

12.0 
  

17.6 
  

25.0 
  

15.1 
  

19.6 
  



Dumfries and Galloway 
  

18.1 
  

26.6 
  

24.3 
  

25.1 
  

22.9 
  

20.9 
  



Dundee City 
  

16.9 
  

25.1 
  

22.4 
  

20.5 
  

20.1 
  

19.7 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

19.7 
  

24.0 
  

24.3 
  

22.6 
  

21.7 
  

21.9 
  



East Dunbartonshire 
  

2.0 
  

3.5 
  

3.9 
  

3.3 
  

4.9 
  

3.3 
  



East Lothian 
  

14.6 
  

23.0 
  

25.7 
  

26.0 
  

22.4 
  

21.4 
  



East Renfrewshire 
  

11.8 
  

25.8 
  

26.7 
  

30.8 
  

30.9 
  

32.3 
  



Edinburgh, City of 
  

10.1 
  

17.1 
  

14.8 
  

13.8 
  

14.0 
  

14.7 
  



Eilean Siar 
  

38.9 
  

36.1 
  

36.1 
  

37.2 
  

38.0 
  

37.0 
  



Falkirk 
  

7.3 
  

17.6 
  

31.1 
  

30.3 
  

29.0 
  

30.8 
  



Fife 
  

18.9 
  

23.9 
  

25.8 
  

25.5 
  

25.6 
  

24.8 
  



Glasgow City 
  

12.9 
  

23.3 
  

23.7 
  

30.5 
  

21.3 
  

21.1 
  



Highland 
  

25.1 
  

25.7 
  

33.9 
  

35.4 
  

36.3 
  

33.4 
  



Inverclyde 
  

7.0 
  

20.7 
  

23.2 
  

23.1 
  

22.0 
  

21.9 
  



Midlothian 
  

12.1 
  

22.0 
  

18.9 
  

20.7 
  

19.4 
  

17.7 
  



Moray 
  

19.3 
  

28.8 
  

23.5 
  

25.8 
  

29.7 
  

24.4 
  



North Ayrshire 
  

8.8 
  

20.5 
  

20.5 
  

21.2 
  

20.1 
  

22.1 
  



North Lanarkshire 
  

26.0 
  

28.1 
  

26.8 
  

27.5 
  

28.0 
  

28.0 
  



Orkney Islands 
  

26.0 
  

28.8 
  

29.7 
  

29.0 
  

29.5 
  

29.2 
  



Perth and Kinross 
  

33.5 
  

30.2 
  

25.3 
  

28.6 
  

23.8 
  

25.1 
  



Renfrewshire 
  

20.7 
  

25.9 
  

25.7 
  

22.2 
  

24.6 
  

24.6 
  



Scottish Borders 
  

31.9 
  

29.2 
  

28.7 
  

25.4 
  

23.7 
  

23.0 
  



Shetland Islands 
  

24.1 
  

15.7 
  

17.1 
  

13.3 
  

14.4 
  

22.3 
  



South Ayrshire 
  

26.9 
  

26.4 
  

29.5 
  

33.2 
  

32.7 
  

31.0 
  



South Lanarkshire 
  

15.7 
  

23.3 
  

25.4 
  

23.4 
  

22.8 
  

25.2 
  



Stirling 
  

16.3 
  

18.1 
  

20.4 
  

20.6 
  

20.5 
  

14.9 
  



West Dunbartonshire 
  

30.1 
  

29.6 
  

29.5 
  

30.4 
  

28.6 
  

32.7 
  



West Lothian 
  

12.9 
  

20.6 
  

19.7 
  

20.4 
  

18.6 
  

22.7 
  



Scotland 
  

16.9 
  

22.7 
  

23.2 
  

25.2 
  

23.3 
  

23.4 
  



  Note:

  As reported by councils on the annual Local Financial Return for Social Work (LFR3) for the financial year.

  1. Figures for 1995-96 are not available as the current unitary authorities have only existed since 1996-97. Therefore no council figures are available prior to 1996-97.

  2. Net expenditure is expenditure to be met from council tax, non-domestic rates and revenue support grant.

  3. Spend on "older persons" for 1996-97 include senior management and purchasing; day centres; residential homes fully staffed, other supported accommodation, and other services for older people.

  Spend on "older persons" from and including 1997-98 include day centres; nursing homes; residential homes, and other services for older people.

  For 1996-97 the allocation of nursing home costs were recorded under "Services for All Community Care Client Groups" whereas from 1997-98 onwards they are specifically recorded under the expenditure on "Older People". This accounts for most of the increase seen from 1996-97 to 1997-98. The large increase here is due to a change in recording practices rather than a real increase in expenditure.

  4. Spend on "older persons" does not include spend in the category "Services for All Community Care Client Groups which cannot be allocated to a specific Client Group" which may include some spend on older people.

  5. The figures for East Dunbartonshire appear to be on the low side relative to other councils. We are currently investigating these figures to ensure they have been collected on a consistent basis with other councils.

Care of Elderly People

John Swinburne (Central Scotland) (SSCUP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many care home residents there have been in each local authority area in each year since 1995 whose care has been arranged and part, or fully, funded by the local authority.

Mr Tom McCabe: The figures requested are shown separately for residential care homes and nursing homes in the following tables:

  Table 1: Number of Residents in Residential Care Homes for Older People Supported in Part or Fully by the Local Authority, by the Local Authority in Which the Home is Situated: Years Ending 31 March 1995 to 2002

  





Year 
  



Local Authority 
  

1995 
  

1996 
  

1997 
  

1998 
  

1999 
  

2000 
  

2001 
  

2002 
  



Aberdeen City 
  

391 
  

400 
  

425 
  

418 
  

429 
  

383 
  

331 
  

334 
  



Aberdeenshire 
  

376 
  

379 
  

395 
  

391 
  

439 
  

403 
  

339 
  

362 
  



Angus 
  

239 
  

276 
  

238 
  

234 
  

237 
  

255 
  

233 
  

247 
  



Argyll and Bute 
  

224 
  

242 
  

251 
  

279 
  

248 
  

217 
  

243 
  

266 
  



Clackmannanshire 
  

45 
  

74 
  

70 
  

81 
  

77 
  

61 
  

55 
  

47 
  



Dumfries and Galloway 
  

271 
  

305 
  

349 
  

403 
  

284 
  

285 
  

192 
  

427 
  



Dundee City 
  

377 
  

416 
  

368 
  

321 
  

265 
  

290 
  

268 
  

238 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

155 
  

156 
  

171 
  

236 
  

271 
  

230 
  

233 
  

241 
  



East Dunbartonshire 
  

43 
  

47 
  

54 
  

69 
  

55 
  

39 
  

26 
  

37 
  



East Lothian 
  

198 
  

222 
  

232 
  

214 
  

191 
  

153 
  

150 
  

133 
  



East Renfrewshire 
  

67 
  

87 
  

94 
  

94 
  

123 
  

97 
  

108 
  

110 
  



Edinburgh, City of 
  

697 
  

729 
  

749 
  

791 
  

752 
  

687 
  

613 
  

646 
  



Eillean Siar 
  

144 
  

141 
  

154 
  

149 
  

139 
  

124 
  

129 
  

134 
  



Falkirk 
  

232 
  

263 
  

246 
  

272 
  

240 
  

212 
  

215 
  

210 
  



Fife 
  

438 
  

500 
  

473 
  

518 
  

489 
  

431 
  

434 
  

481 
  



Glasgow City 
  

1,173 
  

1,325 
  

1,438 
  

1,447 
  

1,375 
  

1,046 
  

1,160 
  

1,002 
  



Highland 
  

437 
  

460 
  

473 
  

539 
  

528 
  

481 
  

473 
  

455 
  



Inverclyde 
  

101 
  

64 
  

145 
  

151 
  

184 
  

134 
  

117 
  

129 
  



Midlothian 
  

157 
  

168 
  

184 
  

174 
  

170 
  

162 
  

170 
  

171 
  



Moray 
  

165 
  

146 
  

151 
  

172 
  

167 
  

141 
  

109 
  

111 
  



North Ayrshire 
  

183 
  

194 
  

207 
  

225 
  

219 
  

225 
  

226 
  

214 
  



Norh Lanarkshire 
  

544 
  

535 
  

453 
  

448 
  

442 
  

435 
  

425 
  

422 
  



Orkney Islands 
  

60 
  

69 
  

70 
  

69 
  

79 
  

68 
  

68 
  

68 
  



Perth and Kinross 
  

313 
  

316 
  

328 
  

355 
  

351 
  

301 
  

302 
  

318 
  



Renfrewshire 
  

311 
  

297 
  

304 
  

308 
  

309 
  

295 
  

268 
  

251 
  



Scottish Borders 
  

266 
  

261 
  

299 
  

307 
  

326 
  

288 
  

259 
  

274 
  



Shetland Islands 
  

76 
  

85 
  

85 
  

91 
  

97 
  

94 
  

93 
  

89 
  



South Ayrshire 
  

154 
  

147 
  

173 
  

176 
  

167 
  

157 
  

116 
  

104 
  



South Lanarkshire 
  

344 
  

350 
  

429 
  

471 
  

317 
  

454 
  

437 
  

430 
  



Stirling 
  

161 
  

165 
  

172 
  

161 
  

187 
  

158 
  

147 
  

143 
  



West Dunbartonshire 
  

215 
  

223 
  

213 
  

228 
  

236 
  

211 
  

209 
  

209 
  



West Lothian 
  

187 
  

181 
  

213 
  

215 
  

225 
  

193 
  

132 
  

150 
  



Scotland 
  

8,744 
  

9,223 
  

9,606 
  

10,007 
  

9,618 
  

8,710 
  

8,280 
  

8,453 
  



  Source: R1 Residential Care Homes Census.

  Notes:

  Information for 1995-99 shows people funded in part or fully by a local authority. From 2000 the definition changed to include only those wholly or mainly funded by a local authority.

  Table 2: Number of Residents in Private Nursing Homes1,2,3 Whose Major Source of Funding is a Local Authority4 , by the Local Authority in Which the Home is Situated: Years Ending 31 March 1997 to 2002

  





Year 
  



Local Authority 
  

1997 
  

1998 
  

1999 
  

2000 
  

2001 
  

2002 
  



Aberdeen City 
  

241 
  

380 
  

460 
  

353 
  

373 
  

399 
  



Aberdeenshire 
  

410 
  

559 
  

650 
  

549 
  

541 
  

716 
  



Angus 
  

188 
  

264 
  

273 
  

275 
  

284 
  

305 
  



Argyll and Bute 
  

96 
  

100 
  

113 
  

99 
  

144 
  

154 
  



Clackmannanshire 
  

45 
  

52 
  

50 
  

89 
  

95 
  

137 
  



Dumfries and Galloway 
  

258 
  

308 
  

318 
  

254 
  

204 
  

288 
  



Dundee City 
  

357 
  

394 
  

398 
  

388 
  

402 
  

457 
  



East Ayrshire 
  

325 
  

266 
  

260 
  

269 
  

296 
  

348 
  



East Dunbartonshire 
  

207 
  

226 
  

220 
  

164 
  

241 
  

275 
  



East Lothian 
  

217 
  

245 
  

202 
  

326 
  

264 
  

334 
  



East Renfrewshire 
  

161 
  

177 
  

221 
  

159 
  

287 
  

265 
  



Eilean Siar 
  

21 
  

48 
  

59 
  

55 
  

58 
  

58 
  



City of Edinburgh 
  

714 
  

838 
  

934 
  

931 
  

840 
  

823 
  



Falkirk 
  

322 
  

231 
  

294 
  

283 
  

357 
  

348 
  



Fife 
  

628 
  

778 
  

818 
  

836 
  

930 
  

996 
  



City of Glasgow 
  

1,690 
  

1,436 
  

1,686 
  

1,708 
  

1,763 
  

1,867 
  



Highland 
  

585 
  

648 
  

575 
  

571 
  

502 
  

686 
  



Inverclyde 
  

100 
  

159 
  

150 
  

170 
  

200 
  

235 
  



Midlothian 
  

155 
  

193 
  

159 
  

230 
  

174 
  

226 
  



Moray 
  

91 
  

154 
  

198 
  

166 
  

138 
  

178 
  



North Ayrshire 
  

228 
  

288 
  

311 
  

296 
  

341 
  

467 
  



North Lanarkshire 
  

475 
  

677 
  

707 
  

684 
  

850 
  

926 
  



Perth and Kinross 
  

227 
  

318 
  

364 
  

356 
  

370 
  

401 
  



Renfrewshire 
  

366 
  

413 
  

444 
  

372 
  

525 
  

529 
  



Scottish Borders 
  

255 
  

290 
  

315 
  

254 
  

292 
  

302 
  



South Ayrshire 
  

250 
  

293 
  

285 
  

260 
  

333 
  

357 
  



South Lanarkshire 
  

797 
  

874 
  

910 
  

962 
  

1,138 
  

1,063 
  



Stirling 
  

155 
  

298 
  

289 
  

325 
  

275 
  

304 
  



West Dunbartonshire 
  

36 
  

168 
  

213 
  

112 
  

242 
  

235 
  



West Lothian 
  

351 
  

374 
  

397 
  

477 
  

371 
  

389 
  



Scotland 
  

9,951 
  

11,449 
  

12,273 
  

11,973 
  

12,830 
  

14,068 
  



  Source: ISD Scotland ISD(S)34 Private Nursing Homes Census.

  Notes:

  1. Based on information supplied by nursing homes at the end of each financial year. Data for some nursing homes are not available. Their omission will partly contribute to annual fluctuations.

  The number of homes where returns have not been made are as follows (equivalent figures for earlier years are not available): 1997 - 30, 1998 - 15, 1999 - 30, 2000 - 30, 2001 - 50, 2002 - 54 (of which 31 were estimated, for the first time, using 2000-01 data).

  2. Private nursing homes subject to the Nursing Homes Registration (Scotland) Act 1938 (as amended), or the Mental Health Act 1960/1984. The table excludes hospices and private hospitals registered under the act.

  3. For a very small number of private nursing homes, information on source of funding was not available.

  4. The table excludes residents whose local authority contribution was not recorded as the "largest" source of funding.

Charities

Alex Fergusson (Galloway and Upper Nithsdale) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it is taking to review the grant funding that it makes available to the ME Association following the recent resignations of three board members because of concerns about the financial affairs of the charity.

Mr Tom McCabe: The Scottish Executive has been informed by the ME Association of their financial position, and is keeping the situation under regular review with the organisation.

Civil Service

Mr Jim Mather (Highlands and Islands) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what steps it will take to inform Sir Michael Lyons’ independent review into the scope for relocating civil service and public sector jobs, currently based in London and the south-east of England, to other areas of the United Kingdom and when it will meet with Sir Michael as part of this review.

Mr Jim Wallace: The Executive has written to Sir Michael Lyons agreeing to offer assistance and officials have met with the review team. The review team has welcomed discussions on the existing executive relocation policy and has requested input from the Executive on potential locations in Scotland.

Common Agricultural Policy

Nora Radcliffe (Gordon) (LD): To ask the Scottish Executive, further to the answer to question S2W-1179 by Ross Finnie 26 June 2003, whether it will report on the non-CAP outcomes of the Agriculture and Fisheries Council held in Brussels in June 2003.

Ross Finnie: The Agriculture and Fisheries Council met on 11 and 12 June, adjourned and then resumed on 17, 18 and 19 June and again on 25 and 26 June.

  On agriculture negotiations on CAP reform formed the main business at this extended Council meeting. On other matters, the Council reached an agreement on a proposal to revise the existing rules on control and eradication of foot-and-mouth disease. The text of a directive will be formally adopted as an "A" point at a later Council. The UK welcomed the conclusion of that negotiation, the outcome of which meets all the major concerns held by the UK at the start of the negotiation.

  On fisheries, owing to the lengthy discussions on CAP reform, the only fisheries debate was on the Western Waters regime. The Council agreed that more detailed discussions should continue at an official level. Three other items were approved without discussion include new regulations on fishing in Mauritian waters, controls on the removal of shark fins on board vessels and amendments to 2003 TACs and Quotas Regulation, including increased catch opportunities for haddock, blue whiting and atlanto-scandian herring.

Digital Technology

Richard Lochhead (North East Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what level of funding has been made available for broadband in each local enterprise area, expressed also per capita; whether any future funding has been, or will be, allocated for this purpose, and, if so, how much, and when, such funding will be available.

Mr Jim Wallace: The supply of broadband is a commercial decision for operators. Our broadband strategy involves stimulating market demand and trialling new technologies. Funding is not therefore allocated on a local enterprise company/per capita basis.

  We are committed to helping extend broadband connectivity for every area of Scotland and will be bringing forward further initiatives in the coming months.

Drug Misuse

Mr Richard Baker (North East Scotland) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what plans it has to build on the performance of drug treatment and testing orders in Aberdeen.

Hugh Henry: The Aberdeen/Aberdeenshire drug treatment and testing orders (DTTO) scheme became operational in December 2001 and was the third DTTO project to be set up, after Glasgow and Fife. The number of DTTOs imposed to date in Aberdeen/Aberdeenshire is 65. The scheme is operating effectively and within capacity. The roll-out of new schemes to other areas has built on the successful experience in Aberdeen, Fife and Glasgow.

Equal Opportunities

Dr Elaine Murray (Dumfries) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidance is offered to non-departmental public bodies and executive agencies regarding the monitoring of age discrimination amongst employees.

Mr Andy Kerr: Non-departmental public bodies are responsible for the operation of their own personnel management systems and the monitoring of age discrimination is a matter for them. This discretion is an important element of a public body’s "arm’s-length" relationship with the Executive and allows a significant degree of flexibility, provided such bodies meet legislative requirements and maintain the standards expected of public sector employers.

  The Executive is currently undertaking a review of age diversity, including discrimination, in which its agencies will be fully involved. In addition, its agencies are represented on the Scottish Executive working group on age diversity.

Equal Opportunities

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made on the implementation of The same as you?.

Mr Tom McCabe: Considerable progress is being made across Scotland in implementing the recommendations of The same as you? . Local authorities, NHS boards and their partners set out plans for implementation at local level in Partnership in Practice Agreements for 2001-04. Local area co-ordinators have been appointed in many areas, all but seven long-stay learning disability hospitals have closed, and people with learning disabilities are taking part in a greater range of employment, lifelong learning and social activities.

  At national level, I announced on 20 June that I would chair the National Implementation Group set up to oversee implementation of The same as you?; change funds provided by the Scottish Executive have now increased to £16 million for 2003-04, and the Community Care and Health (Scotland) Act 2002 provides a right to direct payments to all people with learning disabilities who want them, from 1 June 2003.

  The Scottish Consortium for Learning Disability, funded by the Scottish Executive to offer consultancy and support to implement The same as you?, is sharing information and good practice, promoting joined-up services, letting people know about useful research and undertaking public education campaigns. The consortium is also involving people with learning disabilities and carers in improving training standards and providing training to a range of professionals.

  Scottish ministers are committed to successful implementation of The same as you? and to improving the lives of people with learning disabilities and their families.

Further Education

Marilyn Livingstone (Kirkcaldy) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress has been made in upgrading the learning environment in the further education sector.

Mr Jim Wallace: Since August 2000, the Scottish Further Education Funding Council (SFEFC) has made approximately £88 million of capital funding available to the further education sector to improve the fabric of college buildings and, in some instances, provide finance for new buildings.

  Approximately £58 million of this has been allocated on a formula basis (based on student activity) to address the most pressing, short-term, capital needs of the sector, notably in relation to health and safety, disability legislation and backlog capital maintenance. This has allowed colleges the flexibility to address their own individual needs. Based on a "snap-shot" estate condition survey commissioned by SFEFC in spring 2000, colleges have confirmed that formula funds have reduced their priority capital investment needs by approximately 16% over the period 2000-02 from about £116 million to about £98 million.

  The remaining £30 million has been allocated to certain colleges for specific medium-scale capital projects. Examples include:

  a £350,000 grant to Anniesland College to fund emergency accommodation requirements;

  a £2 million grant to Clydebank College to address urgent capital requirements;

  a £1.45 million grant to Langside College to fund health and safety works, and

  £1 million to North Glasgow College to address immediate capital requirements.

  SFEFC is currently in the process of allocating significant capital funds to several large-scale projects. These include:

  a £21 million contribution towards the relocation of Edinburgh’s Telford College;

  a £6.1 million contribution towards the redevelopment of Fife College’s St Brycedale Campus, and

  a £3.1 million contribution towards Angus College’s new Community Access and Learning Centre.

  In addition, £10 million was made available in 2002-03 to provide extra help to colleges in meeting the cost of particularly expensive items of teaching equipment and to help colleges meet the infrastructure implications of special needs legislation.

Further Education

Ms Rosemary Byrne (South of Scotland) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will return further education colleges to the control of local authorities; whether this will produce greater accountability and financial control than at present, and what the benefit will be of the Scottish Further Education Funding Council engaging consultants to conduct a benchmarking exercise to compare college costs.

Mr Jim Wallace: There is no question of the Scottish Executive seeking to give local authorities control of Scotland's incorporated further education colleges. I am satisfied that the existing statutory framework ensures proper accountability and financial control.

  The Scottish Further Education Funding Council is the statutory body responsible for funding further education colleges. Operational matters such as whether the council should engage consultants for a particular purpose is a matter for the council itself.

Further and Higher Education

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what progress is being made in giving further and higher education students the right to refer complaints to the Scottish Public Service Ombudsman when other mechanisms have been exhausted.

Mr Jim Wallace: In our Partnership Agreement, A Partnership for a Better Scotland , we gave a commitment to give students in further and higher education the right to refer matters to the ombudsman when institutional mechanisms fail them. We will consult on our plans in autumn 2003 before promoting the required legislation.

  A copy of the Partnership Agreement can be found on the Executive’s website at http://www.scotland.gov.uk/library5/government/pfbs-00.asp.

Further and Higher Education

Alex Johnstone (North East Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive which organisations it will consult in making progress towards giving further and higher education students the right to refer complaints to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman when other mechanisms have been exhausted.

Mr Jim Wallace: The organisations consulted will include, in addition to the Scottish Public Services Ombudsman:

  Association of Managers of Student Services in Higher Education (Scotland)

  Association of Scottish Colleges

  AUT

  Beattie Resources for Inclusiveness in Technology and Education Centre

  Citizens Advice Scotland

  Coalition of Higher Education Students in Scotland

  Commission for Racial Equality

  Disability Rights Commission

  EIS

  Equality Network

  Equal Opportunities Commission

  46 Further Education Colleges

  46 Further Education Student Associations

  Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Education

  20 Higher Education Institutions

  20 Higher Education Student Associations

  Highlands and Islands Enterprise

  Linking Education and Disability Scotland

  32 Local Education Authorities

  National Association of Managers of Student Services

  NUS (Scotland)

  QAA Scotland

  Royal Society of Edinburgh

  Scottish Consumer Council

  Scottish Enterprise

  SFHEA

  Scottish Agricultural College

  Scottich Agricultural College Student Association

  Scottish Civic Forum

  Scottish Faith Council

  Scottish Further Education Funding Council

  Scottish Further Education Unit

  Scottish Higher Education Funding Council

  Scottish Parliamentary Corporate Body

  Scottish Parliament Enterprise and Culture Committee

  Scottish Qualifications Authority

  Scottish Refugee Council

  Scottish Science Advisory Committee

  Scottish Youth Parliament

  SKILL

  STUC

  UNISON

  Universities Scotland.

  The Scottish Executive is committed to carrying out consultation which is thorough, effective and open. We aim to include the full range of stakeholders and those likely to be affected by the proposal, including equality groups, on our list of consultees. In accordance with Executive policy the consultation paper will also be available from the Scottish Executive website, thus enabling anyone who wishes to do so to access the document and make a response.

  I should welcome members’ suggestions of any further interested organisations that the Executive should be consulting.

Mental Health

Tommy Sheridan (Glasgow) (SSP): To ask the Scottish Executive how many people suffer from dementia; what early intervention services are available across Scotland; how much money has been allocated to dealing with diagnosis, treatment and research into dementia in each of the last three years, and how much has been allocated for each of the next two years.

Malcolm Chisholm: The information requested on the prevalence of dementia is not held centrally. However, it is estimated that there are 60-70,000 people with dementia in Scotland and information collected routinely by Information and Statistics Division of NHSScotland showed an estimated 17,600 people with dementia presented to their GP during 2002.

  While the symptoms of dementia can be different for every person, attention is paid to the earliest possible detection, intervention and support. Services take the opportunity when a person presents for other symptoms or purpose to assess for wider needs. While services vary from area to area and range from specialist care to home support, involving a number of care agencies working in partnership including the voluntary sector, they share a common objective for early intervention.

  Information on the cost involved in diagnosis and care and support is not held centrally.

  Mental health is a research priority and we welcome high quality applications for dementia-related research. A wide range of research on dementia, from causes and epidemiology, through to support for carers has been supported with spending on average around £75,000 per annum on direct research costs over the past five years (1999-2000 to 2003-04).

NHS Charges

Mr Brian Monteith (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive what the annual cost would be to the NHS of abolishing dental checks and charges for eye tests.

Mr Tom McCabe: Based on the current system, it is estimated that the total cost to the NHS of introducing universally free NHS sight tests would be £20.2 million. This estimate is based on the number of NHS sight tests in the year 2002-03 and an estimate of sight tests undertaken privately in the same year. The cost does not take account of any increase in the number of sight tests as a result of the introduction of free sight tests, or of any future increases in fees.

  Based on the current system, it is estimated that the total cost to the NHS of introducing universally free dental examinations would be £16.8 million. This is based on the number of NHS dental examinations (provided either free or subject to a patient charge) undertaken in the general and community dental services in 2002-03. No information is held on the number of private dental examinations and it is not possible to estimate the number of patients currently receiving private dental treatment who would wish to receive free NHS dental examinations. It does not take account of any future increases in fees.

National Health Service

Mr Adam Ingram (South of Scotland) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what guidelines allow the NHS to contract private organisations to provide medical services on its behalf.

Malcolm Chisholm: It is legislation, rather than guidance, under which NHS bodies operate that allow them to enter into contracts to provide medical services. The provision of medical services is arranged through health boards, special health boards and NHS trusts under the powers and duties given to them in legislation, in particular the National Health Service (Scotland) Act 1978 and orders made under that act.

Young Offenders

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times a young offender under 16 has been sent to secure accommodation outside Scotland in each of the last six years.

Hugh Henry: Scottish ministers exercise discretion over the place and conditions of detention of those sentenced to detention in terms of sections 205(2) and 208 of the Criminal Procedure (Scotland) Act 1995. No individuals under 16 have been sent to secure accommodation outside Scotland, under this legislation, in past six years.

  Information is not held centrally on those persons sentenced by the courts under section 44 of the 1995 act whose place of detention is a matter for the appropriate local authority.

Young Offenders

Miss Annabel Goldie (West of Scotland) (Con): To ask the Scottish Executive how many times a young offender under 16 has been sent to an adult prison in each of the last six years.

Hugh Henry: I have asked Tony Cameron, Chief Executive of the Scottish Prison Service to respond. His response is as follows:

  The available information on receptions of under 16s to Scottish Prisons is given in tables 16 to 19 of Prison Statistics Scotland, 2001 published by the Scottish Executive in 2002, copies of which are available in the Parliament’s Reference Centre (Bib. number 24421).

Young People

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what financial and other support it has allocated in each of the last five years to youth cafés and other alcohol-free projects for young people.

Mr Tom McCabe: Funding for Youth Community Alcohol Free Environments (CAFEs) and other alcohol-free projects for young people is provided within resources allocated to local authorities and NHS boards but is not identified specifically by the Executive.

Young People

Mr Andrew Welsh (Angus) (SNP): To ask the Scottish Executive what youth café and other alcohol-free projects there are.

Mr Tom McCabe: There are Youth Community Alcohol Free Environments (CAFEs) in 21 of the 22 local Alcohol Action Team (AAT) areas. Details of individual projects are not held centrally at present but are currently being assessed within the action plans of each AAT. These plans are being made available on the Executive website at:

  http://www.scotland.gov.uk/health/alcoholproblems/plans.asp